Frequently Asked Questions

For further information regarding these and any other questions, please call 800-847-3000 or email admissions@esc.edu.

I earned a college degree from a non-U.S. institution. Do I still need to provide proof of high school completion for admission?

If your evaluation states that you have the equivalent of either an associate or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, you do not need to provide high school documentation.

I previously attended a U.S. college/university and have provided a transcript. Do I still need to provide proof of high school completion for admission?

If you earned an associate or bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or if your evaluated document indicates the equivalent of an associate or bachelor’s degree earned at a regionally accredited U.S. institution, you do not need to supply high school documentation.

Why doesn’t the evaluation of my non-U.S. college/university transcript stating that I have the equivalent of more than 24 credits of "undergraduate study at a regionally accredited U.S. institution" satisfy the proof of high school completion requirement for admission?

Only transcripts from U.S. (regionally accredited) institutions are eligible to be evaluated for the 24-credit distribution.

Why is Empire State College asking for proof of high school completion? The evaluation service did not require my high school documentation in order to evaluate my non-U.S., post-secondary credential (college or university).

Proof of high school completion is required for admission to the college.

Upon acceptance to the college, transcripts from post-secondary institutions are reviewed for the transfer of credit.

These are two different processes.

Do non-U.S. credentials need to be evaluated if they are already documented in English, or if I have already had them translated and notarized by another organization?

All non-U.S. credentials must be evaluated and submitted according to evaluation service requirements. These services provide evaluation and verification of the authenticity of documents.

The only exceptions to this rule are high school documents from the U.S. territories and possessions. These may be directly submitted to the college.

I cannot obtain the original documents from my country. What should I do?

Document requirements differ by country of origin. Please check the instructions provided by the evaluator service of your choice.

Do I need a course-by-course analysis or a document analysis?

Non-U.S., high school documents need only a document-based analysis. Non-U.S. credentials from post-secondary (college/university) institutions need a course-by-course evaluation.

I have college credits at a Canadian institution. Do I still need to have this evaluated?

Empire State College accepts transcripts from Canadian institutions listed as members of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada on the same basis as those from regionally accredited institutions in the United States. All institutions not accredited by AUCC need to undergo evaluation.

What if my evaluation does not arrive in time for me to complete my application by the priority date for the upcoming term?

You will be considered for the next available term.

What if I cannot fulfill the high school requirement with the documents I possess?

Please visit the American Council on Education website at www.acenet.edu for information about General Equivalency Diploma (GED) testing.

The GED Testing Service www.gedtestingservice.com is a joint venture between the American Council on Education (ACE) and Pearson developed to expand accessibility to the GED® test.

If I provide my evaluated high school document to satisfy the requirements of admission, can this evaluation also be used for college credit once I am accepted to the college?

If your evaluated high school document indicates credit beyond the high school level, it may be used for college credit provided it fulfills a requirement in your degree plan.

Additionally, it may be possible to receive foreign language credit based on your non-U.S. high school document.

I am applying for financial aid and it is required that I provide proof of high school completion. Will the document I provide to the admissions office for acceptance to the college fulfill this requirement for financial aid as well?

Please contact the Financial Aid office by email at FinancialAid@esc.edu for specific requirements for financial aid.